Pilot, copilot in jet crash that killed 5 are from Upstate

Pilot Richard Trammell survives crash

News 4 has learned that the pilot and copilot of a commercial jet that crashed Wednesday killing five people are from the Upstate.

Pilot Richard Trammell, who is from Greenwood, survived the crash, as did copilot Jeremy Hayden.

WXIA reported that McDuffie County Fire Chief Bruce Tanner said were seven on board.

Tanner told WXIA that the plane was trying to land at Thomson-McDuffie Regional Airport after a flight from Nashville. It overshot the runway and crashed in the woods about a mile east of the airport, Tanner said.

The coroner said the jet collided with a 60-foot utility pole and caught fire after aborting its landing.

Bob Fisher, of the Greenwood County Council, said Trammell is a longtime friend of his.

“He’s been one of my very best friends for more than 20 years year,” Fisher said. “Traveled a lot with him, flown a lot with him. He was my primary flight instructor many, many years ago and he is the most competent pilot that I personally have ever flown with.”

Fisher said he went to the hospital in Augusta to see Trammell.

“I wanted to tell him that everybody’s praying for him and they’re happy he survived, he said. “As far as his condition, he’s in pain and he is able to talk, but he’s got a long way to go. It’s still too soon to know hardly any details because they’re still searching to see what they could do and do better to get him in less pain I would say. The doctor’s working really well with him and his family is taking care of him so I just wanted to go down and see him and see how he was doing.”

Fisher said a lot of people have been talking about what might have caused the crash.

“A lot of people are speculating wildly what happened when nobody really has a confirmed answer, so I don’t’ want to get anywhere near any of that. I just want to say that he’s a very, very competent pilot and I hate that this has happened to him. Even his co-pilot with him is a very competent pilot ... They’re both commercial multi-engine pilots they’re both very experienced, they are professionals.”

Fisher said, “I’m just praying he has a good recovery. No estimate of any time or anything. It’s way too soon for that.”

Fisher did not comment on the Hayden's condition.

According to the Executive Shuttle of South Carolina website, Trammell is the owner and chief pilot of the business, and Hayden is a pilot employed by the company.

McDuffie County Coroner Foster Wiley said early Friday that identities of the four people killed had been confirmed: Dr. Steven Roth, a vascular surgeon; nurse anesthetist Lisa Volpitto; secretary Kim Davidson; and Tiffany Porter, who all worked in the same clinic.

Wiley said dental records would be used in an attempt to confirm the identity of the fifth person. He said officials believe they know the identity, but need to confirm it before releasing the name.

Copyright 2013 byWYFF The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.